Keanu Reeves hails ‘really extraordinary’ F1 film after International Emmy win
By Casey Cooper-Fiske, PA Entertainment Reporter
Actor Keanu Reeves has hailed Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story, which he presents, as “really extraordinary” after it won an International Emmy for best sports documentary.
The 60-year-old told the PA news agency motor-racing had been his passion since childhood, making the Disney+ project “very special”.
The documentary won over nominated programmes: Tour de France, about the famous cycle race; Tan Cercas De La Nubes, which looks at Mexico’s women’s football team; and Who I Am Paralympics, which showcases the feats achieved by para athletes.
Speaking about how he hoped the Emmy win would attract new audiences, Reeves told PA: “You want your stories to be seen and heard, and hopefully people check out this very special and entertaining and worthwhile documentary.”
Showrunner Simon Hammerson told PA the win was “a tremendous honour” to win, adding: “Personally, it was unexpected and lovely that we were recognised by our peers for doing something pretty cool.”
Reeves interviewed key figures in the 2009 F1 season for the documentary, in which they recalled how the underdog Brawn F1 team made it on to the grid with a tiny budget and managed to outpace its better-funded rivals thank to some clever technical innovations and a lot of luck to win both the drivers and constructors championships.
Founded by former Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn and BAR Honda managing director Nick Fry, the team’s success cumulated in British driver Jenson Button becoming world champion.
Reeves said it had been “cool for me and, I think, for us just to have this idea and try and do it, to try and make this documentary.
“It just kind of started with us having a conversation, and then it kind of went from there.
“And so to be going on the journey of making the documentary over the year, I think Simon did such a wonderful job on the project, really extraordinary, and it’s been recognised.
“I’m just really happy for everyone who was a part of making the documentary and really grateful to everyone who shared their stories to make it such a beautiful documentary.”
The Matrix star revealed his love of F1 began with toy cars and culminated in becoming “captivated” the sport’s technical side.
He explained: “I don’t know why, but when I was a kid I liked cars and I had those toy cars, I remember I had the John Player Formula One car.
“I went to a race in Canada when I was a young kid, and so I guess I loved cars.
“As I got older – I was watching Formula One as a kid – and then became (more) into it in my 20s, so I’ve kind of gone in and out.
“I was around for the Schumacher era, just was caught the end of the Senna era, following Hamilton and Rosberg, that whole thing.
“I love the technical aspect of it, I love the pursuit of excellence, the innovation, just the extraordinariness of the vehicles and the racing, I find it very captivating.”
Reeves said he was looking forward to a General Motors-owned Cadillac team joining the F1 grid in 2026, which would be the second North American team in the competition, following Haas F1.
The Canadian added: “I love when new teams enter into the fold in Formula One, it’s exciting and I’m keen to see how they fare.”
Reeves runs his Arch Motorcycle company, founded with Gard Hollinger in 2011, and while he has ambitions to move into racing, the actor said he would not be investing in F1, adding: “I think Formula One is too rich for me”.
“But I’m part of a motorcycle company, and it’s been cool to sponsor some motorcycle riders in their pursuits, and hopefully the company can find our way into doing some racing.”
Brawn: The Impossible Formula One Story is available to watch on Disney+ and BBC iPlayer.